Category Archives: Fishing Reports

The Lower Owens is now flowing at 192 out of PV dam. http://wsoweb.ladwp.com/Aqueduct/realtime/norealtime.htmThis is an excellent level for floating and fishing! The mid morning- afternoons seem to be when the fish really perk up and are on the prowl for food.. Caddis are a major player right now on this river. Nymphing with baetis and caddis emerger patterns will get you fish until they start looking up. Nymphing deep will also produce! PT’s, Hares Ears, z-wing caddis and the like will get you into fish.. Mid afternoon the fish start looking up and the river really becomes fun then! Elk Hair Caddis in size #16 will trick fish throughout this hatch. Comparaduns and Adams patterns will also imitate some of the mayflys that are on the water as well.

The East Walker has had some decent water fluctuations since the last report.. It has gone as high as 240cfs and is now down to around 195 cfs. http://waterdata.usgs.gov/ca/nwis/uv?10293000Fishing remains strong and I continue to do many of my guided trips here.. With the new flows fish are able to move around the entire river with some larger meat eaters ending up in some shallower riffles.. Crowds still hit the EW but only a handful on anglers has success on this technical fishery. Streamers are still working but not like they were a few weeks ago. The morning and evening seems to fish the best. Concentrate on using all sorts of midges,(tiger and zebra) WD-40’s, small flashback PT’s, San Juan worms, and all sorts of caddis from poopahs to sparkly pooppahs work later on in the day. I have recorded temps up to 65 degrees in the warmest part of the day.. This fishery is on fire and should not be passed up!

This quick lived run of fish reminds me of a small scale salmon run! It is pretty much over now, but it was Sweet for my friends and clients that managed to get in on it! Water was up, letting in some absolute stunning fish! Like I said you fish for them like they are salmon! I will let the pics do the talking on this one..

Hot Creek is running high but not too dirty at this point. Mammoth creek is feeding in the water at its upper parts and Hot Creek is flowing at 80 cfs as I write this report. Hatches seem to still roll off on this amazing fishery that can challenge the most educated fisherman.. Midges come off in the morning and seem to be around most of the day.. Later on BWO’s make an appearance with a few PMD’s mixed in. Caddis also put themselves the chow line and make a small appearance in the afternoon. Once again for flies use WD-40’s, Zebra or Tiger midges in sizes 18-20.. Tie on Pheasant Tails, Hares Ears, z-wing caddis in sizes #16-20..Don’t be afraid to experiment with different patterns that represent what I have mentioned above. For dries; partridge caddis, griffiths gnats, comparaduns, different CDC patterns, and adams patters will bring fish up. All in similar sizes to the nynmphs. I will sometinmes start with the slightly larger flies and then go down in size to determine the optimal setup. Adjust the indicator based on the creek characteristics for the pools and weed lanes.. Have fun!

The Upper Owens has some interesting flows going on right now below and above the Hot Creek confluence.. Both sections are fishable, yet high, with some dry fly and nymphing and streamer action. Water is cold yet fishable with heavy set-ups… look for the slower pools with definate seams to fish along.. if there is foam holding there is probably fish under it.. Tiger Midges, Disco midges, and midge dries will take fish.. Pheasant Tails, Hares Ears and bright Egg patterns will also get fish.. Fish the nymphs is sizes #16-18.. Midges #18-20.. Larger Streamers in browns and blacks will also produce.. On top Elk Hair Caddis, Griffiths Gnats, and Adams patters with trick upper o fish to the surface.. This fishery will get better as the water warms and the flows subside a little..

The East Walker is now up to 112cfs of pure world class fishing action. I have spent most of my guiding and fishing days up on this great piece of water.. Fishing has seemed to not slow down at all. Most days we are getting into personal best browns and bows for most of my clients! Perch and Carp fry are still in the water and the fish continue to stack thier bellies full of these thus causing their growth rate to be abnormally fast! Lighter coloured streamers fished with good action can get eaten right in front of you just under the waters surface, this leaves your heart pumping with a little shot of adreneline into your system..

Midges come off in the morning and baetis in the afternoon.. Use Tiger midges in blacks and greys and RS 2’s and mercers trigger nymph from morning to afternoon.. Dont bypass any water you think is too skinny for larger fish as they have been surprising us with great appearances in this type of water.. Below the Meadows section is fishig just as good as anything.. The whole CA side of the river is wide open..

The Lower Owens has had some interesting flow rates recently.. One day it was up to 300cfs and now it is back down to a perfect floating flow rate of 150cfs… Fishing has been hot here as warm spring weather descends upon the ownes valley.. Midges, Baetis, and Caddis are coming off here and usually daily and in that order. Casting to these off the front of my drift boat is addicting! Adams patterns, cut-wing caddis and Elk Hair Caddis are bringing the fish up! The nymphing remains very strong with Tiger midges, Hares ears, PT’s, Robo PT’s, RS 2’s, and a special chinchilla nymph that I have developed and have been absolutely killing them with it.. use all of these nymphs in sizes #16-20… Streamers are also seeing more action with the warmer temps around. Most colours of streamers fished properly seem to really get hammered.. Look for the dry fly hatches to be strongest around mid-day and prepare for some unforgettable fishing.

The Gorge is doing what is usually does.. it fishes great as long as you can make the cast without spooking everything around.. Dries eaten are small midges, BWO’s and stimulator patterns seem to bring them up no matter what.. Buggers kill them here and sight fishing is very visual on this water.. Dry dropper setups will get you into a lot of fish, but will added possibility of being out of the water more.. Be careful on your way down in and especially in the rocks coverend in vegetation along the stream itself.. The brown trout down here are as beautiful as any you will see..

Hot Creek is fishing great with more consistent hatches coming off every day! I have been seeing midges earlier, followed by some baetis action, and on some days later on the small amiocentrus caddis make an appearance…. Water is in great shape and the Hot Creek residents seem to know winter in over and the spring feed is on. Up in the flat water near the hatchery some absolute BEASTS are roaming.. Dawn and dusk with a large streamer. That is all I will say about that… Use the same flies as in my previous reports..try the usual small midges and WD 40’s ,as well as a variety of small PT’s, hares ears, and small caddis worms usually imitated by a green midge larva, z-wing caddis, or a small soft hackle. For the dries a P. Adams #18-20 or CDC imitations work great for the mayfly hatch. Various caddis patterns will fool the fish here but I prefer some cut wing life like patterns for this stream. Small EHCaddis will also get you into trout here.. Accurate casting and short drag free drifts will be the method here.. I recently teamed up wth another popular fishng guide and acquired my permits for Hot Creek!!

The Upper Owens is fishing pretty decent with midges coming off in the AM hours and a decent BWO hatch appears on the surface of the water as the temperature warms up… Both hatches have come off every time I have been there in the past couple of weeks. Streamers fished with a strip and stop fashion will catch fish all day.. Above the Hot Creek confluence water remains gin clear and dries, or dry droppers seem to be the best technique here.. Below Hot Creek one can go a bit deeper and use some sort of an indicator or a high sticking technique depending on how you like to fish… WD-40’s, various styles of PT’s, Tiger midges, hares ears and small trigger nymphs will get you into some fine looking fish…try them all in a sizes #16-18s.. CDC BWO patterns and griffiths gnats will bring up fish on the dries… Using a large foam hopper or club sandwich over the nymphs will also get some attention.